Call Guinness - it's the world's largest won ton!
Trip Start
Aug 23, 2007
1
33
Trip End
Sep 23, 2007
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Saw Mary standing there looking for me, worried because I was late. She looked like a lost little girl ... her Mom and brother were waiting with her. Ha ha, I would hate for my family to be waiting with me, but I've always been less than the ideal child.
Grabbed some teriyaki beef before boarding the plane - I wanted some Asian food before leaving
a
. It'll probably be a long time before I have any again! It was crappy - dry, with no flavour. Saw the daughter of an old family friend at the food court, but wasn't sure if it was her so I didn't say anything. Plus, with the typical gossipy Asian families, any sighting of me with someone of the opposite sex would probably cause countless rumours. Ahhh ... the curse of the Asian social/gossip circles. Strange feelings today ... of course there was excitement, but something just didn't feel right. It felt completely different from any other trip I've gone on in the last 3 years. The sheer happiness and giddiness just wasn't there. Weird.
I thought back to a conversation I recently had with Tri where I told him that Mary and I were "dating" (trying to set up a practical joke for later in the trip; nothing is actually going on with us). Tri joked that I was "settling" for Mary and I told her about it. We laughed and said that it wasn't a fair comment - Mary could possibly be as high as 3rd on my list! But to her credit she did say that she would do "whatever it takes" to move up higher on the list ... ah, Mary, Mary, Mary ... she always manages to say things that are innocent, but unintentionally makes them sound dirty. This was the first instance of the trip
b
. Many, many more instances will surely follow. That was "Mary Moment #1". Embarrassing moments will also be classified as "Mary Moments". Of course, Mary at one point called me "cold-hearted" so I told her she's been dropped down to 4th on my list. All day long as she insulted me I threatened to drop her further down the list. But she should still be flattered - I have a very short list, and it's only populated with the best! I'd rather not think about where I rank on Mary's list - probably somewhere on the 85th or 86th page!
Mary didn't bring her iPod so we shared mine and listened to Spanish music and language lessons. I am preparing for Spain!!! Spanish pop music - so cheesy and so good! It's a good way to learn cheesy lines so that you can make a complete fool out of yourself with the Spanish senoritas!
Mary told me that like Tri's family, her sister and her mother went to a sex show in Thailand. Of course, I believed Mary when she told me that her family had no idea what it was. Unlike Tri ... he's just twisted, so him attending with his sister and Mom is just a normal thing.
Meal on board - roast beef, yorkie, carrots, parsnips, a bun, and carrot cake. It was the identical meal that I had last year flying with Thomas Cook. I believe that last year I compared the roast beef to the dried pieces of skin that peel off of my feet when I travel. The comparison is still valid. And how am I able to make such a comparison? Well .. uh ... let's just say that an unemployed backpacker sometimes gets desperate for a little protein ..
c
.Thomas Cook is cutting back - upon boarding last year there was a small bottle of water placed on everyone's chair, with a note saying something that you should drink lots of water for your health. I guess the health of their customers is no longer important to them as there were none to be seen!
Not much happening on the flight - I tried to sleep, but couldn't. Time passed quickly. Breakfast arrived - a grilled bacon Panini, muffin, and juice. Same breakfast as last year ... a crappy meal, but edible (the muffin was actually ok). Soon after, we landed in London.
London was dreary. As we exited the plane we were hit with a blast of smog. London, I've missed you and your beautiful pollution!!!
